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Pumalín Park, Chili

Pumalín Park (Spanish: Parque Pumalín) is a … private nature reserve in the Palena Province of Chile, created by the United States environmental foundation The Conservation Land Trust, which was endowed and led by the American business magnate Douglas Tompkins. …

We dropped into to the head office of this private park in Puerto Varas to get an update on progress.

Facilities have expanded since I visited Pubalin 11 years ago. The official map now has 17 campsites, 12 official short trails, 4 hotsprings. We were told there are no official overnight hikes. Yet.

Pumalin

Their website is posted in Spanish and English.

On December 8, 2015, Tompkins was kayaking with five others on General Carrera Lake in southern Chile when strong waves caused their kayaks to capsize. Tompkins spent a “considerable amount of time” in waters 40 °F (4 °C) below. He was flown via helicopter to a hospital in nearby Coyhaique, where he died hours later from severe hypothermia. He was 72 years old …

Doug_Tompkins

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Lonely Planet Trekking in the Patagonian Andes

trekking Patagonian AndesThe 2009 edition is longer available from LP. Not even as a digital version. 😦

I highly doubt it will ever be updated.

You can still find used versions on Amazon at high cost.

I searched until I found one in a used book store. I’ll hang on to it. There’s nothing better for the region, in my opinion.

A 2015 Spanish language guidebook is closest – Trekking por Chile by Compass, the map company.

If you only need to see some of the Lonely Planet guide, check the version archived on Google Books.

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Michael Lanza’s top 10 U.S. hikes

#1 A Grand Tour of Yosemite

#2 Northern Glacier National Park

#3 Teton Crest Trail

#4 Zion’s Narrows

#5 John Muir Trail

#6 Royal Arch Loop, Grand Canyon

#7 The Southern Olympic Coast

#8 Spider Gap-Buck Creek Pass Loop, Glacier Peak Wilderness

#9 Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains

#10 Timberline Trail, Mount Hood

DETAILS

Tet16-40-Death-Canyon-Shelf-Grand-Teton-NP-copy
Death Canyon Shelf, Teton Crest Trail

Michael Lanza was for many years was the Northwest Editor of Backpacker Magazine. He edits The Big Outside hiking blog.

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Ash Dykes – Madagascar Traverse

… the first person in history to successfully walk the entire length of Madagascar, summiting its eight highest mountains on the way. …

How do you feel after walking 1,600 miles for 155 days from the south end of Madagascar to the northernmost point?

When I actually arrived & finished at the most northern point (Cap’D Ambre), I had to walk two days back the same way to reach civilisation, the small tracks were too bad for any car to attempt to pick us up. But it was a surreal, exciting and an extremely satisfying feeling!

Why did you choose to take on this challenge?

I knew it would be amazingly unique: over 80 per cent of all fauna and flora are found nowhere else in the world – so that alone would mix things up. I knew barely anything about Madagascar and hardly anyone talks about it. I wanted to get into its interior and really discover what it’s about deep within the island.

The island is also constantly changing, from desert, shrub land, jungle, savanna and mountains …

FIELD REPORT: ASH DYKES MADAGASCAR TRAVERSE – INTERVIEW

Ash jungle

Click PLAY or watch an expedition preview on YouTube.

ashdykes.com

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new – National Parks Adventure on IMAX

Beginning on February 12th, MacGillivray Freeman’s National Parks Adventure will hit IMAX screens around the country in both 3D and 2D showings.

The film follows Conrad Anker (most recently seen in last year’s climbing documentary Meru) along with his stepson Alex Lowe and family friend Rachel Pohl. The trio set out on a massive National Parks road trip, visiting about 40 parks over 2 and a half years with an IMAX film crew in tow. …

Modern Hiker 

Click PLAY or watch a trailer on YouTube.